In database systems, many performance optimizations involve tracking the oldest times at which currently active read and write transactions first accessed an object within the database. In datasharing environments, the oldest update time and oldest read time within the entire system are commonly tracked by taking the oldest read and oldest write times of all currently active transactions in each system, and then taking the oldest value from each system to derive the oldest times of access across all datasharing members. The oldest update time and oldest read time may result being excessively ‘stale’ for the majority of active objects in the datasharing environment. For example, a single long running transaction within any member of the system can set the oldest update time and oldest read time to the time when that transaction first accessed any object, while the majority of objects' first access times are far more recent.